San Jose Earthquakes will be in search of back-to-back victories after a disappointing first game of the season when they host a labouring Colorado Rapids on Sunday at PayPal Park.
The hosts head into this affair after coming back from a one-goal deficit in their last fixture to beat Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1, while the Rapids continued to misfire up top in a 0-0 draw against Sporting Kansas City last time out.
Match preview
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After finishing bottom of the Western Conference in the 2022 season, The Goonies will be aiming for a better campaign this time out.
A 2-1 win against Vancouver in their previous outing will provide the squad with confidence that they can accrue more points this season, as Carlos Akapo and Jeremy Ebobisse both got on the scoresheet to provide their side with three points, coming back from a losing position.
It will be important that new head coach Luchi Gonzalez is able to produce a better standard of defensive displays than his predecessor, as last season the home side held the second-worst defensive record across the entire division, conceding 69 goals in the league.
Without a clean sheet in their opening two matches of the season, Gonzalez will be hopeful that his side can take advantage of Colorado's poor form in front of goal and earn themselves their first clean sheet of the season.
The home side have a poor record against their upcoming opponents, having only beaten them once in the previous seven encounters, although that 1-0 victory did come in this exact fixture last season.
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Meanwhile, after following up their first-place finish in the 2021 MLS Western Conference table with an underwhelming ninth-placed finish last year, the away side are once again displaying signs of another poor season.
It has been a struggle for Robin Fraser's side to impose themselves in the opposition third so far this campaign, and they are yet to score a goal in their opening two games of the season.
A 0-0 draw in their last outing against Kansas saw them gain their first point of the season, although, with three big chances missed in the game, it will leave Colorado rueing the squandered opportunity to secure all three points.
However, after a 4-0 dismantling by Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field in their opening fixture of the season, earning a clean sheet in their last matchup will give them a boosted level of confidence, and they will once again look to build against a side that they possess a strong record over.
Despite a winless start to the season, the away side will come into this affair with confidence that they can secure a result, as Colorado came out on top in the last bout between these two sides, with goals by Keegan Rosenberry and Diego Rubio being enough to see off The Quakes in a 2-1 victory.
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Team News
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It is likely that Gonzalez will remain with the side that was successful in their last clash against Vancouver.
Neither Judson Tavares nor Niko Tsakiris are expected to return to the lineup for this matchup as they recover from injury, with both anticipated to return to the side next week.
Nathan will not be available and is set to be out for the remainder of the season, after sustaining an ACL injury against Monterey Bay in pre-season.
Fraser is expected to make one change to the side that earned a point against Kansas in their last affair.
Alex Gersbach is predicted to return to the side after missing the last outing, with Steven Beitashour set to be replaced.
Marko Ilic is still awaiting his visa and will not be available for selection in the upcoming fixture.
Aboubacar Keita and Jonathan Lewis have returned to training ahead of this week's clash, although neither are expected to feature in the starting XI.
Jack Price has been listed on Colorado's injury report as questionable and will undergo a fitness test to be available for the upcoming matchup.
The visitors will be without Moise Bombito, Diego Rubio and Dantouma Toure on Sunday, as they all are unavailable due to injury.
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Daniel; Marie, Rodrigues, Mensah, Trauco; Yueill, Gruezo; Espinoza, Monteiro, Cowell; Ebobisse
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Yarbrough; Rosenberry, Abubakar, Maxso, Gersbach; Priso, Bassett, Ronan; Barrios, Yapi, Nicholson
We say: San Jose Earthquakes 1-1 Colorado Rapids
We think that this game will be dictated largely in possession by the visitors, that it will ultimately end in a low-scoring draw due to the away side's inability to finish off the chances that they create.
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